The present invention resides in a system for supporting a layer of material in a given plane and deals more particularly with a material hold down and support system for use in an apparatus wherein an image is automatically drawn on a surface in a silk screen printing process in which apparatus is provided a means for supporting a printing surface of the screen in a given plane. In the creation of images in a silk screen printing process an emulsion is formed on the screen so that a desired resist is created to provide a backdrop upon which an image can be formed. Recently, as disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,089 entitled PRINTING SCREEN AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ITS MANUFACTURE, it has been contemplated to use a single apparatus for generating a plurality of masks each setting out a pattern piece or pieces of the design to be printed in a designated color. This is done by passing a print head over the emulsion to print directly on it and ultimately cause a negative image to be developed in the emulsion. Subsequently, the developed emulsion is used to print the image onto an article. However, in such a system the emulsion is spaced only about 40 thousandths of an inch below the print head during a plotting operation and therefore it is extremely important to maintain this spaced relationship in order to avoid damaging or impairing the plotting operation that occurs during this process. Also, in the silk screen printing art, often it is found that the screen is stapled to a frame and such fasteners have damaged the print head as well. Further, the frames upon which the screens are mounted are usually warped and this also undesirably contributes to the a nonplanar printing surface presented by the screen.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost highly applicable means whereby a screen upon which an emulsion is held in a planer relationship relative to a print head moveable above it is disposed such that the screen presents a planar printing surface while the frame itself is located out of the path of travel of the print head thus avoiding problems hitherto known in the damage of the print head as it is driven during a printing operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system whereby a silk screen frame is loaded into a support system in registration with two orthogonally oriented axes such that all frames used are capable of having a common registration point in the machine.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following disclosure and the appended claims.